The activity is taking place calmly.
The dog is focused on its interaction with the beneficiary.
Then, without warning, an object flies across the room.
For the practitioner, this reaction may be related to frustration, disorganization, impulsivity, or difficulty expressing an emotion. They know their clientele and quickly adapt their intervention.
But what does the animal understand?
It sees an object flying rapidly near it.
It hears a sudden noise.
It must react in a fraction of a second.
Will it try to avoid the object?
Will it run away?
Will it react out of fear?
No one should discover the answer during an intervention.
Safety relies on a methodology that prepares the human-animal team for these realities, on rigorous selection of the animal, an assessment of its abilities, progressive preparation, and certification confirming its capacity to operate in sometimes unpredictable contexts.
Receiving facilities have the responsibility to ensure that the teams they welcome are prepared to protect beneficiaries, practitioners, and animal partners.